Training Log Archive: Craney

At Pittwater dunes - just came out on top after a great fun higgledy piggledy race.

The first 2 loops were quite heavily gaffled and I found myself completely alone after #3 - not quite what I expected. It was through the really fun runnable forested intricate section, so I capitalised on the chance just to do my own thing and was very clean. Turned out I popped out after the two loops (3.1km) with a fairly handy (~1min?) lead.

Then onto the long 7.5km ungaffled loop. Maybe the realisation that I was in the lead played on my mind, but I made fairly hefty mistakes on #2 and #4 through simply not paying enough attention to the detail on the map - heart sank when I spotted the flag at #4 along with the train of chasers coming into it. Punched that in about 6th then set off with Jacob straight through the open to #5, which caught a bit on the leaders. Got up to 3rd on Simon's back on the way to #6 but the vague nav caught me out as it started to dawn on me that Simon was actually now halfway to #7! D'oh. Retreated back to #6, punching that in 8th place presumably around 1.30mins behind.

So ensued a long section of about 4kms picking off Jacob, Ian, Kez and Robert whilst gradually closing on the three leaders (Simon, Leon and Felix) - fortunately the long path legs meant I was able to keep good sight of where they were. At the spectator control I finally got onto them and a brief hesitation from Simon at the next control meant I was able to punch first with just five very short legs to finish. Reverting back to proper navigation was tricky, but I got #20 and #21 well. We all were a touch confused at #22 by the extra trees, but I saw the flag first and managed to just stay ahead through to the finish. Much fun.

Event: NOL 2017 Round 1, race 1 - Middle Distance Pittwater / NOL 2017
 

At Pittwater, came =2nd (16secs behind Simon, tied with Ian). Encouraging start to the season: nav at least as good as I could expect given the lack of practice, and running quite good. A really fun middle distance race with the first half in open dunes and the second in forested dunes. Started off quite well reading the detail on #1 and #2, but seemed to magnetically drift to paths #3, #4 and #5, which cost time. Ended up losing 1min on #5 by not seeing the flag behind a tussock. Grrrr. That flustered me a bit and I rushed and lost more time on #7 and #8 - about 2mins all up by this point (1:50 behind Ian). Got moving again on the long path to #10 and felt good in the legs but another silly 30secs lost at #11. Again poor exit direction from #10. Didn't consciously change things from then, but ended up pretty clean around the remainder of the course - processes and techniques started to feel a bit more natural.
https://www.livelox.com/Viewer/Pittwater-NOL-2017-...

Training course on Sandridge Pines. Good to get a feel for some sanddunes at 1:7500, although not especially relevant to the races for the next couple of days. Nav was pretty good apart from around some thick bushes which had grown somewhat since the survey. Good fun!

Soon after arriving in Hobart, headed out to Knocklofty to test run a course for Jan. Nav still quite clunky and I made quite a big mistake on a path bend :s But all important practice running with a map. Terrain was very nice though.

Ran back to the Elsons' from Knocklofty.

Sydney work day.

6x3mins late lunch interval sesh on Red Hill south. Gorgeous day - sunny but not too warm. Felt pretty good too. First four reps were largely up hill, so made the most of the last two, which weren't.

Other bits of the run.

Geek session doing 90/30s while looking at a Pittwater map. Hoping that it was my work printer's print quality was driving my inability to run and read the map. Felt good physically (when not stood still).

Other bits of run - around the Wetlands and co.